Posting tray for loose leaf filing systems



March 17, 1959 F. R. SE WELL 2,877,773

POSTING TRAY FOR LOOSE LEAF FILING SYSTEMS Filed June22. 1956 V 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO? Frederick Robert Sewell ATTORNE YJ March 17,1959 F. R. SEWELL 2,877,773

POSTING TRAY FOR LOOSE LEAF FILING SYSTEMS Filed June 22, 1956 3Sheets-Sheet 2 20 Frederick Robert Sewell ATTORNEYS March 17, 1959 F. R.SEWELL POSTING TRAY FOR LOOSE LEAF FILING SYSTEMS Filgd June 22. 1956 5.Sheets-Sheet 3 lNl/ENTOR Frederick Robert Sewell BY M ATTORNEY:

United States Patent POSTING TRAY FOR LOOSE LEAF FILING SYSTEMSFrederick Robert Sewell, Beckenham, England, assiguor gercy Jones(Twinlock) Limited, Beckenham, Eng- Application June 22, 1956, SerialNo. 593,149

Claims priority, application Great Britain August 29, 1955 3 Claims.(Cl. 129-29) This invention relates to improvements in posting trays forloose leaf filing systems, of the kind in which a horizontal surface isprovided upon which a number of loose sheets are supported on theiredges, with side rails extending upwardly from such horizontal surfaceto maintain the lateral edges of the filed sheets in register, and withend plates extending upwardly from such horizontal surface, one of whichis disposed adjacent to one end of such surface and is there secured inposition, while the other end plate is movable along the length of thehorizontal surface to any desired position of adjustment along suchlength, in which position it. can be locked against further movement,the surfaces of such end plates engaging against the surfaces of the endsheets posted in the tray to maintain the same closely packed togetherwhen the tray is not required for use, and to support'the sheets insuitable positions for reference, for entries thereon, or for removal orinsertion of such sheets, when the tray is inuse.

The present invention provides an improved construction of such postingtrays and more particularly an improved construction of the end platesabove referred to so as to enable the same to be more conveniently andefficiently movable from the out-of-use to the in-use posi tions andvice versa.

According to the invention, the horizontal surface of a posting tray isprovided with two end-plates, one of which is mounted at a fixed pointadjacent one end of the said surface, and the other is slidably mountedin a suitable guideway or guideways provided in such surface, both saidend plates being pivoted at their lower horizontal edges to theirmountings and both having latch means and support means whereby they maybe retained in vertical position or released to lie against such supportmeans in planes inclined outwardly from the space between the saidplates, and wherein the mounting for the slidably movable end plateinclude manually releasable locking means inoperative to preventmovement of the said plate towards the fixed end plate, but operative toprevent movement of the slidable plate away from the fixed plate.

One constructional embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way ofexample only in the accompanying drawings, it being understood howeverthat the details of construction of such embodiment may be variedwithout departing from the scope of the invention.

In the said drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a posting tray equipped with endplates in accordance with the invention,

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional detail views showing the releasablelocking means whereby the movement of the slidable end plate iscontrolled, and

Figures 4 and 5 are detail views of the latch means and supporting meanswhereby the two end plates are retained in the vertical position andreleased to be supported in the inclined position.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3, the tray illustrated 2,877,773 PatentedMar. 17, 9

comprises a horizontal posting surface 1 adapted to support a number ofsheets on their edges, side rail 3, preferably of the kind described inour co-pending application No. 593,150, filed June 22, 1956, and endplates 4 and 5.

The end plates 4 and 5 are pivoted along their lower edges at 6 and 7respectively, and are each provided with a pivoted latch plate 8 havingan abutment extension 9, a hooked end 10 and an inwardly extending lip11 on the latch plate, and an inclined support 12 provided with aprojection 13 for engagement with the hooked end of the latch plate andan edge 14 for engagement with the lip 11.

As shown in Figure 5, in the position of the end plate 5 when theposting tray is not required for use, its lip 11 is in engagement withthe edge 14 of the support 12, thus preventing outwards pivotal movementof the end plate. As will be appreciated, in use, the weight of thesheets supported on their edges between the two end plates will normallytend to urge the end plates outwardly, such outwards movement beinghowever prevented as just described.

When the movable end plate has been moved away from the pack of postedsheets, and it is desired to release the end plates so as to allow themto pivot outwardly to present inclined surfaces upon which the sheetsmay rest during reference thereto, withdrawal therefrom or insertionthereinto of selected sheets, the latch plates 8 are manually swungabout their pivots 15 against the effort of springs 16 thus lifting thelips 11 above the edges 14 of the supports 12 and at the same timeswinging the hooked ends 10 of the plates out of engagement with thepins 13, the end plates then pivoting on their pivots until each liesagainst the fiat inclined surface 17 of its support 12, as shown inFigure 4.

The end plates are readily returned from the position shown in Figure 4to that shown in Figure 5 by inwards manual pressure thereon, e. g. onhandles 18 provided adjacent the upper free edges of the end plates, thelips-11 riding over the ends of the pins 13 and the edges 14 until thesaid lips are engaged behind the said edges by means of the springs 16.

It will thus be seen that the improved construction of the end platesand their latching means and supports enables rapid and easy movementthereof from and to either of their alternative positions, the handles18 further serving as a convenient means whereby the posting tray as awhole can be lifted and transported.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the movable end plate 5 and its pivot7 are secured to a carriage 20 provided with four rollers 21, suchcarriage 20 travelling in a recessed guideway 22 provided centrally ofthe sheetsupporting surface 1, the rollers 21 moving in trackways oneither side of such guideway, as shown in Figure 3, the carriage beingfurther guided by a rod 23 extending over the entire length of theguideway 22 and secured at its ends to the tray, the said rod alsoextending through the carriage.

The support 12 for the end plate 5 is secured to a carriage 20 and hasan inwardly extending pin 24 secured thereto with an enlarged head 25 atits inner end. A bar 26 has an aperture therein through which passes thesaid pin 24, such bar having a second lower aperture through whichpasses the guide rod 23. A helical spring 27 is coiled round the guiderod 23 between the end of the bar 26 and the end wall of the carriage20, so as to urge the end of such bar in a direction towards the endplate 5. The aperture in the bar 26 through which the guide rod 23passes is of slightly greater diameter than that of the guide rod, sothat the bar 26 is normally inclined in the position shown in full linesin Figure 2, i. e. in an outwards direction. As will be appreciated,when pressure is applied to the support 12 in a direction tending tomove the support in the outwards direction, i. e. away from the otherend plate 4, the edge of the aperture in the bar 26 binds on theperiphery of the rod 23 and positively locks the support and the endplate against such outwards movement. To enable the bar to be returnedfrom its inclined locking position, to which it is urged by the spring27, release means are provided consisting of two studs 28, havinginwardly tapering enlarged conical ends 29, are mounted on a pin 30 andheld in spaced apart relationship by a helical spring, as shown inFigure 3. The said studs 28 are mounted in recesses in the sides of thesupport 12, and are so located within the said support that inwardsmovement of one or both of such studs by the finger or by the finger andthumb of the user causes the conical ends 29 to engage the inclined bar26 and to move such bar against the effort of the spring 27 to avertical position, thus freeing the support and the end plate 5 forunrestricted travel along the guide rod 23 towards the other end plate4. Release of the studs 28 allows the same to separate under the effortof the spring coiled round the pin 30, and the spring 27 then returnsthe bar 26 to its inclined position, thus again locking the support 12against outwards movement, but permitting free inwards movement of thesupport, since the abutment of the edge of the aperture in the bar onthe periphery of the guide rod 23 automatically tends to move the barfrom its inclined and locked position to its vertical, unlockedposition.

I claim:

1. A posting tray for loose leaf filing systems comprising a horizontalsheet supporting grooved rectangular tray portion, a guide rod disposedin said groove and fixed to said tray, a support, apertures in saidsupport adapted to receive said guide rod whereby said support isslidable on said guide rod, an upwardly extending end plate on saidsupport, a locking device including a vertically disposed bar rockablymounted on the movable support, an aperture in said bar adapted toreceive the guide rod passing theretbrough, said aperture being of adiameter which is greater than that of the guide rod and spring meansurging the bar to a position inclined with respect to the guide rod topresent a locking edge surface to the periphery of the guide rodpreventing movement thereof in one direction, said support havingopposed side walls, a pin extending between said side walls and a studslidably received on each end of said pin and projecting through saidside walls, a conical inner end on each of said studs in straddlingrelationship to said bar and inwardly movable with said studs to earnsaid bar in opposition to said spring means to move said bar to asubstantially vertical position and thereby release said support formovement in either direction along said guide rod.

2. A posting tray for loose leaf filing systems comprising a horizontalsheet supporting grooved rectangular tray portion, a guide rod disposedin said groove and fixed to said tray, a support, apertures in saidsupport adapted to receive said guide rod whereby said support isslidable on said guide rod, an upwardly extending end plate on saidsupport, a locking device including a vertically disposed bar having anaperture in the lower end thereof receiving the guide rod therethrough,said aperture being of a diameter which is greater than that of theguide rod, a horizontal pin fixed to said support and said bar having anaperture in an intermediate portion thereof loosely receiving said pin,said pin terminating in an enlarged head forming a stop for said bar,spring means urging said bar to a position inclined with respect to theguide rod to present a locking edge surface to the periphery of theguide rod preventing movement thereof in one direction, said supporthaving opposed side walls, a pin extending between said side walls and astud slidably received on each end of said pin and projecting throughsaid side walls, a conical inner end on each of said studs in straddlingrelationship to said bar and inwardly movable with said studs to camsaid bar in opposition to said spring means to move said bar to asubstantially vertical position and thereby release said support formovement in either direction along said guide rod.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein a spring is received onsaid pin normally urging said conical ends apart to permit said bar toeffect a locking action on said guide rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS487,006 Ohmer et al. 1. Nov. 29, 1892 865,706 Hutchins et a1. Sept. 10,1907 1,051,108 Hemstreet Jan. 21, 1913 1,424,080 Carpenter July 25, 19221,755,764 Benedict et a1 Apr. 22, 1930 1,881,477 Gideon Oct. 11, 19322,556,633 Power et al June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 296,016 SwitzerlandApr. 1, 1954

